British astronomer Moore dies at 89

GREGORY KATZ
Associated PressPublished: December 10, 2012 3:00AM

LONDON (AP) -- British astronomer and broadcaster Patrick Moore died Sunday, according to friends and colleagues. He was 89.

He died at his home in the coastal town of Selsey in southern England, according to a statement released Sunday. No specific cause of death was given, but he had heart problems and had been confined to a wheelchair.

Moore was well known for his long-running BBC television show "The Sky at Night," which was credited for popularizing astronomy with generations of Britons. He had presented the show for more than half a century.

The statement said he was briefly hospitalized last week when it was determined no more treatment would help him.

"Over the past few years, Patrick, an inspiration to generations of astronomers, fought his way back from many serious spells of illness and continued to work and write at a great rate, but this time his body was too weak to overcome the infection which set in a few weeks ago," the statement said.

It was signed by various staff members and friends, including Queen guitarist Brian May. May said Moore was irreplaceable and had stirred millions through his broadcasts.

In its obituary, The Daily Telegraph reported that Moore believed he was the only person to have met the first man to fly, Orville Wright, as well as the first man in space, Russian Yuri Gagarin, and the first man on the moon, the late Neil Armstrong.